So



Dr. Russ moved heaven and earth for the protection of

wild birds from the clutches of the bird catcher, and in course of

time succeeded in obtaining legislative enactments, which are

gradually spreading over many countries.


He was one of the first to foresee that the importation of

foreign cage birds would help the endeavours to protect European

song birds. Because the foreign finches become more easily

reconciled to confinement, they are better adapted to cage life,

and the beauty of their plumage makes them preferred as pets

to the European birds. Substituting foreign for European birds

diminishes the demand for the latter, which is the best means of

stopping the trade of the bird catcher in Europe.


Thus from a protector of European birds Dr. Russ be¬

came a student, and, in course of time, an enthusiastic admirer

of foreign cage birds.


His example and writings produced many followers. I

freely confess that if I had never read some of Dr. Russ’s articles

on cage birds, I should perhaps never have bought a first pair.

I ended with a large aviary containing several hundred, and

never regretted the time, trouble, and expense I devoted to the

hobby during the spare hours of a very busy life.


Some time between i860 and 1865 Dr. Russ settled in

Berlin, and practically devoted himself to the study of foreign

birds, and the production of numerous books on the subject. Of

these I may mention his “ Foreign Cage Birds,” his “ Handbook ”

and his work on foreign finches as the most useful.


I11 1862 he founded a magazine, Die Gefiederte Welt (or

Feathered World), similar in its objects to the Avicultural Maga¬

zine. At first this magazine, which has flourished and is now in

its twenty-eighth year, appeared monthly, afterwards fortnightly,

and, subsequently, weekly.


During the early years of the magazine I occasionally

contributed little articles to its columns, and derived so much

pleasure from doing so, that I hope some of the readers of the

Avicultural Magazine may be induced to tty the same amuse¬

ment of a spare hour. Anyone taking a deep interest in a

subject is pretty sure to have something to say which will

interest others to read.


I recall one amusing instance. I was asked, one da}q by a

friend in London where he could find a few hundred skins of

the beautiful cock of the Rock. It so happened that I had long

wished to possess this bird, but could never find a live specimen.

Asking what these skins were wanted for I heard that there



